Hydra

A hydra is an account that is controlled by multiple players. "Hydra" can also be a verb, equivalent to "doubleheading" or "multiheading" although those terms are now obselete. It is customary to reveal to other players that you are a hydra if asked; the mod and List Mod are required to be informed who is in the hydra upon request. Some moderators also disallow hydra, or allow other players to place limits on hydra in the game (either in number, or whether any at all may enter the game).

Hydra are not allowed in Newbie Games for any reason. They are also currently banned from normal games.

History

The first hydra anywhere might be L'layne on the Grey Labyrinth. They played as early as 2005, although the term "hydra" wasn't used.

Two-Headed Mafia took place in 2006, with linked pairs of players each posting under their own name in the game thread.

In 2007 BrianMcQueso put forward the idea of a 'Team Mafia' where two or more players would collaborate under each account in the game. Note that this has no relation to the later Team Mafiain-vitationals, and it involved every account in the game being a hydra.